The present invention is concerned with long-acting matrix tablet formulations which release an initial burst of therapeutic agent and thereafter release the agent at an essentially constant rate. In particular, this invention is concerned with a matrix tablet specifically designed to release an initial burst of acid soluble therapeutic agent into the stomach and then to release agent at a constant rate into the stomach and/or small intestine thereafter.
Numerous matrix systems have been devised which perform similar tasks but each suffers from some disadvantage. For example, waxes and lipids have often been used in matrix tablet formulations as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,793,979 and 2,993,836. Ethylcellulose has been used in matrix formulations with polyethylene glycol (U.S. Pat. No. 3,039,933) with calcium stearate (U.S. Pat. No. 3,322,633) and with calcium sulfate (U.S. Pat. No. 3,632,739) among other ingredients. Other known matrix materials include carboxymethylcellulose, cellulose acetate phthlate, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, gums, carbohydrates such as starch and sorbitol, etc.
Still another class of matrix tablets makes use of polymeric matrix materials. U.S. Pat. No. 3,087,860 teaches the use of methyl acrylate--methyl methacrylate and U.S. Pat. No. 2,987,445 teaches the use of various polymers and copolymers such as polyethylene, polymethyl methacrylate and copolymers of methyl methacrylate and alkyl acrylates and the like.
All of these various matrix formulations suffer from disadvantages. The primary disadvantage is slowing of the release rate as a function of time. Other disadvantages include dumping of entire dose in the stomach, short life in the gastrointestinal tract, difficulty of manufacture, the inclusion undesireable ingredients, etc. The present invention for the first time presents a safe, easy-to-make, long-acting matrix tablet formulation especially suited for acid soluble therapeutic agents.